Expert undrapes intricacies of hijama

Hijama therapists express concern over growing number of unqualified practitioners

ISLAMABAD:

Hijama therapists have expressed concerns about the growing number of unqualified practitioners and urged the government to create an exclusive regulatory body to oversee the practice of cupping therapy.

Cupping or hijama is the process of applying cups at various points on the body to create a vacuum and then to suck the impure or harmful blood through the slightly incised skin surface.

There are various, specific points on the body for cupping where the skin is pierced and then cups are applied to collect blood.

Talking to this scribe, Dr Sohail Qureshi emphasised that 80 per cent of patients experience positive outcomes after receiving hijama therapy which indicates that the results are not merely attributable to the placebo effect or belief healing.

Dr Qureshi provided further insights into the therapy, dispelling a common misconception that "cupping therapy is suitable for everyone". He cautioned that individuals with diabetes, anemia, or who are pregnant should refrain from undergoing the treatment.

He stressed the importance of therapists possessing a medical background for understanding the intricacies of the procedure and identifying the appropriate cupping points. "Mishandling or neglecting necessary precautions can result in health hazards," he warned.

According to Dr Qureshi, cupping therapy has been practiced for centuries and comes in two forms that include wet cupping and dry cupping.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2023.